Foolishness
by yesfangirlingismylife
Summary: They've always been just kind smiles. Just little designs on his coffee cup; hearts, flowers, patterns. Just little greetings, here and there. Nothing more. At least, that's what he always thought until the pattern on his cup was a series of three numbers, a dash, another three numbers, another dash, and a sequence of four numbers. (One-shot)


Foolishness

It was a fine morning on an early September day when Tobias realized that the coffee girl had a little bit of a thing for him. She'd drawn little hearts, flowers, and designs like those for the past week or two. At first, Tobias hadn't thought anything of it. She was just being polite, he assumed. Then the drawings gradually got bigger and bigger every day. Still, he thought nothing of it. They were flowers. Hearts, Designs. Common pictures among society.

Tobias remembered the first time he saw her standing behind the counter of the coffee shop of the early August morning. More so, _hadn't_ seen. She was too little to stand above the counter and see over it, while Tobias towered.

He noticed the usual tall girl wasn't there. So, he peeked over the counter, causing the short girl to jump. Her blonde locks swung as she flinched away. They were the color of honey, and her eyes the color of a stormy sky, or maybe a hurricane.

Tobias gave a casual, kind smile toward the girl. She returned it, but it was falsified. Definitely not genuine.

He sat over at a table where the short girl was visible in the dip of the counter. Tobias checked the emails on his phone, but, really, those were a distraction from the coffee shop girl. She was the main focus. The short girl behind the counter was definitely more interesting than any virtual mail.

He observed her with great awareness as she prepared the order before his own.

She wasn't rushing—in fact, she was taking her good old time. She would gently press the buttons to the espresso machine, and then be even more gentle with lid as she slid it on.

Now, when Tobias thought this woman couldn't get any more perfect, he was fairly certain. He was proven wrong yet again for two reasons.

When she spoke, her voice was the sound of angels, and her inflection more soothing than watching a blood red sun sink into the deepest depths of the ocean.

"Coffee for Alex?"

It was a woman that came up—likely by the name of Alex.

It was those simple three words that made Tobias think about what it'd be like if she said something else. Her voice was soft, even though she was calling out. It was as if she was used to speaking in such a tone that made her seem quiet and jaded. However, it was something Tobias would be willing to investigate.

Minutes later, when Tobias was still busy observing her in a total non-creepy way, she called his name.

"Coffee for Tobias?"

When she said his name, it rolled off her lips so perfectly that it could be said like no other. And when she smiled at him when he came up to grab his coffee, it was a genuine one. Tobias was stunned at her beauty, and if he was being totally honest with himself, he'd never seen anyone so beautiful in his life. Her smile was not ear to ear, but more so the opposite. It was one of those smiles that just hit someone deep in the center of their heart where they didn't even know they could feel. It was a shy, bashful smile she wore, as if she had something to be ashamed about.

When their fingers touched, Tobias was grabbing his coffee from her hand. However, they were calloused and dry; the exact opposite of what he suspected they'd be. He'd have predicted they would be soft and untouched, like fine china. Fine china that was breakable with the very simple touch of the fingertips.

But when he touched her fingertips, he knew he was wrong. She was stronger than any woman he'd ever touched in his life. However, she was petite. Small, but fierce. Coffee shop girl was not muscular or hefty, but strong in both the mind and soul.

She gave him a kind smile that warmed his own soul. "Tobias, I presume?"

He shook his head, freeing himself from his stupor. He smiled a smile he didn't know he could smile.

"Yeah," he said, chuckling. "That's me."

She chuckled. "Enjoy your coffee. Have a good day, Tobias."

"You too…, coffee shop girl with no name tag."

She laughed. "Tris."

"Well, you have a good day too, Tris."

She simply laughed, and then started working on the next order.

Tobias lingered for another few seconds. He smiled and then started to walk toward the exit of the café.

And that was all she wrote for the time Tobias first met Tris. He went back every weekday morning, and she was there. Every weekday morning. Tobias didn't know how, but he swore she got more and more beautiful every day.

As he walked into the coffee shop on a fine morning in September, he had no idea what'd be coming at him when Tris made his iced vanilla mocha.

That morning, Tobias thought it was just like any other. He went to the coffee shop and expected an even fancier drawing than the previous day.

And he was not going to be disappointed.

"Coffee for Tobias?" she asked nervously.

He gave a kind smile, then glanced at the cup. It was covered with swirly lines, flowers, and black marks. Although her little pictures were cute and small, this was neither. It was almost as beautiful as her.

He chuckled. "Tris, this is amazing. You really didn't have to."

She shrugged and shyly grinned. "It's fun."

This was the longest conversation they'd ever had, and Tobias couldn't be happier.

He picked up his coffee and took a sip. "So… you got a little bit of a thing for me, huh?" Tobias said quietly as he leaned in, wearing that cocky smirk he always wore.

She laughed, abashed. "No. I don't even know you."

Then, she snatched the coffee from his hand, scribbled something, and then handed it back. There was a black block, and just behind it, he thought he saw a few numbers.

"Coffee shop girl, is this what I think it is?"

"What, I don't have a name now?"

"Don't avoid the question," he retorted.

She leaned in as she smirked, close to his lips; closer than she's ever been. "You'll never know." Tris waltzed over to the screen where she could prepare the next order, far, far away from Tobias.

"You can't just run away from your problems, Tris," Tobias said, not too loudly, but not too quietly, either. He wanted to know her number. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to be with her all the time. Even though he hardly knew her, he just wanted her.

But he didn't know her number, and he couldn't talk to her, and he couldn't be with her all the time.

"Sure I can," she responded. "But you'll be back again tomorrow. Wondering whether I will give you my number, or if I won't. Wondering whether I will design a cup, or if I won't. But _I'll_ be wondering, 'Hm, if he returns, he must have a little bit of thing for me.'"

Tobias glared a coy glare.

And the next day, she was right. He was back again, and he was wondering all those things she said he'd be wondering about. Also, he was wondering what could _possibly_ make her hands so calloused.

That morning, Tobias waited by the counter, watching Tris, making sure she knew he saw her and was waiting for her.

"I'm an artist," she said randomly.

"An artist," he said, more so as a fact rather than a question.

"Yes. I deal with ceramics, paintings, and pencils. Every kind of media, really. That's why my hands are calloused. I know you were wondering about that too. I see you staring," she said as she focused on the espresso machine. "You're extremely inquisitive, but so am I."

He smiled, confused, and pleasantly surprised at Tris's impertinence.

She walked over to the counter as if nothing happened, nearing him, and said, "Coffee for Tobias?"

He didn't make any sudden movements. All he did was let his eyes flick down to the cup of coffee.

Then a frown appeared on his face. "No design?"

She smirked. "I think you'll like it. And it _is_ a design, silly. Patterns are a design."

He teased her with a crooked smile. "But I don't see any pattern. Just numbers."

"Well, it's a numerical pattern, love. So, really, it's a design."

He laughed. "Can't argue with that logic." He gave one last enticing smile, then said his goodbye.

When he was a mere three steps away, she called his name out, just like he knew she would.

"Oh, and just so you know, I have to draw on everybody's cup. It's a company policy that my boss pays me extra to do."

He laughed. "Serious?"

She shrugged. "It just happens that you're cute when you're confident about yourself."

He shook his head in laughter. What a fool he was. What a fool he was for not realizing how hard he would fall for this girl who drew beautiful designs on the cups of coffee. What a fool he was for not realizing how she would not only draw on his cups, but also on his heart.

He was only a fool for Tris.

Little had he known, their love would be a foolish one, and the foolish kind of love was the best kind of love.


End file.
